Goddess of Vengeance (48 page)

Without looking at Bobby, she gathered up her chips and stood up. ‘Cashing out,’ she said, tossing the dealer a generous tip.

‘We’ll miss you,’ said Mister Hawaiian Shirt.

Bobby stood too. ‘Can I buy you a drink?’ he asked, addressing Denver.

‘Well . . .’ she demurred.

‘He’s not a bad-looking guy, I say go for it,’ Hawaiian Shirt encouraged. ‘That’s unless he’s married. You got to take a looksee at his ring finger, always a sure giveaway – you’ll see the tan mark.’

Denver gave Bobby a solemn look. ‘
Are
you married?’ she asked.

‘Nope,’ Bobby replied, equally serious. ‘Are you?’

‘I recently divorced my third husband,’ she said.

‘Dangerous!’ Hawaiian Shirt exclaimed.

‘Thanks for all the encouragement,’ Denver said, smiling at him. ‘I’ll let you know how it turns out.’

Hawaiian Shirt nodded eagerly. He loved Vegas, there was always something going on.

‘So,’ Bobby said, still playing along as they walked toward a nearby lounge. ‘What brings you to Vegas?’

‘Like I said, I recently divorced my third husband.’

‘Did he do something to piss you off?’

‘Danced with an ex.’

‘Really?’

‘It didn’t sit well with me.’

‘I guess it wouldn’t. Although I’m sure it was perfectly innocent.’

‘Maybe,’ she said, shrugging. ‘Or maybe not.’

They reached the lounge and settled at a corner table.

‘What’ll you have?’ Bobby asked, as a pretty waitress came over to take their order.

‘A vodka martini,’ Denver said, quite getting into their unexpected game. ‘Make it a dirty double.’

‘A dirty double, huh?’ Bobby said, raising an eyebrow. The Denver he knew was a white wine girl. But this wasn’t Denver he was sitting with – this was a stranger, and he found himself getting quite turned on. ‘Okay then, make it a double vodka martini for the lady, and I’ll have a beer,’ he told the waitress.

‘And why are
you
in Vegas?’ Denver asked as the waitress moved away.

‘Came here for a romantic weekend with my girlfriend, but we kinda got off track.’

‘You did?’

‘Shit happens.’

‘How true.’

The drinks came and Denver downed her martini as if she was celebrating at a Russian wedding.

‘Hey—’ Bobby said, trying not to laugh. ‘Easy.’

‘Some men think I am,’ she murmured provocatively.

‘What kind of men would they be?’

She gave a casual shrug. ‘Oh, I don’t know . . . the adventurous kind.’

‘I’m adventurous.’

‘You are?’

‘Certainly.’ A beat. ‘Uh . . . how about coming upstairs to my room and I’ll prove it to you.’

‘Will your girlfriend be there?’

‘My girlfriend’s long gone for the night.’

‘You’re sure?’

‘Oh yeah, I’m dead sure.’

She gave him a bold look. ‘Then what are we waiting for?’

He threw money on the table, stood up and offered her his hand. ‘Nothing I can think of,’ he said.

*   *   *

Lucky did not want Armand Jordan to be forewarned that she was on her way to pay him a visit. Surprise was the name of the game. A nice big fat surprise.

It wouldn’t be a physical confrontation, not like the time she’d visited an investor in one of the Santangelo hotels who’d refused to pay up. Ah yes, she’d visited him in the middle of the night while he was sleeping and held the cold steel of a knife next to his balls. The following day the money was forthcoming.

Lucky smiled at the memory. God, she’d been a wild one – and even though she was now a happily married woman with grown kids – deep down she was still a wild one.

Armand Jordan would soon find out. She’d warn him to stop shooting his mouth off about something that would never happen, and if he didn’t comply and she heard any more stories of him supposedly buying her hotel, then he too might experience the touch of cold steel on his precious balls.

*   *   *

The instant they hit the elevator it was on. Throwing Denver up against the wall, Bobby inserted his knee between her legs rendering her helpless, then he began kissing her, wild, hungry kisses to which she immediately responded.

He had her pinned, she couldn’t escape and since she had no desire to do so, it was fine with her. She kissed him back, loving the taste of his mouth, loving the feel of his body pressed tightly up against her. God! She loved everything about this man.

After a few moments he reached up, roughly ripping the top of her dress, exposing her breasts, then bending to suck and bite on her fully erect nipples.

The unexpected excitement of what was happening filled her with fire. His mouth on her breasts, his hard penis jammed against her. Completely forgetting where they were, and that a security camera was probably recording their every move, she quickly unzipped his pants and started caressing him. He felt so damn good.

The elevator was on the move, but neither of them cared.

Bobby’s hand crept up her thigh, reached her thong, and tore it off. Then he lifted her so that her long legs were clasped around his waist, and without stopping he began thrusting inside her.

Sex between them was usually passionate enough, but this was different, this was a sweaty, hot, crazy, out-of-body carnal experience.

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened at a floor. Both of them heard the shocked gasp of a woman before Bobby leaned over and pressed the CLOSE button.

‘Maybe we shouldn’t be—’ Denver managed, before Bobby pressed his hand over her mouth to stop her talking. Then he fondled her breasts again, pushing them together, tweaking her nipples, all the while still thrusting into her.

She moaned with pleasure as the thrilling climb began. Nothing mattered except being there with Bobby. He was her soulmate. He was everything she’d ever wanted. She loved him desperately.

‘Oh . . . my . . . God!’ she cried out as she felt herself approaching orgasm. ‘This . . . is . . .’

‘Insane!’ Bobby yelled, finishing the sentence for her as he shuddered to a mind-blowing climax at exactly the same moment.

The elevator stopped again, the doors opened, and a group of elderly tourists from Florida peered in at them in stunned silence.

Quick as a flash, Bobby zipped up, took off his jacket and threw it around Denver’s shoulders, grabbed her hand and exited the elevator.

‘Honeymoon,’ he explained to the dumbstruck tourists. ‘Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.’

*   *   *

Without Billy by his side, Kev was getting nowhere fast. Every time he tried to chat up a girl, her eyes wandered, searching the room for a more likely prospect.

Until Ellie.

Ellie wasn’t his dream girl, although she was cute enough in her torn jeans, blue T-shirt, and a hooded sweatshirt tied around her waist. She was sitting at a bar he’d stopped at, drinking a beer and doodling on a notepad. Not the usual type of girl he went for, but this was Vegas, so spending the night by himself was not an option.

‘Pretty girls should never drink alone,’ he said, settling himself on the stool next to her.

After giving him a cursory glance, she went back to her scribbling.

‘Writing a book?’ he joked.

‘Working,’ she snapped, not in a friendly fashion.

Kev did what he did best, he played his trump card. ‘Me too,’ he said. ‘Just left my boss, Billy Melina. What a guy! What a slave-driver! Can you believe it’s past midnight an’ I’m only now off the clock. Movie stars! They dance to their own tune.’

Oh yes, surprise, surprise, he had her interest now. Billy’s name scored points every time.

‘Billy Melina is here?’ she said, tapping her pen on the bar. ‘In Vegas?’

Kev nodded. ‘S’right,’ he said. ‘In all his movie-star bullshit.’

She gave him an intent look. ‘How do I know you’re not making this up?’

‘Why’d I do that?’

‘’Cause.’

‘’Cause here’s the proof,’ he said, pulling out his phone and clicking on a few choice photos of him and Billy at play. ‘Take a look at me an’ my master.’

Ellie scrolled through the photos, then she slapped her notebook shut. ‘How’d you like to make a couple of thousand bucks?’ she said.

‘Doing what?’ Kev asked, his curiosity aroused.

‘Nothing illegal.’

‘Then what?’

‘Come with me, and I’ll tell you what.’

*   *   *

‘It’s not that I
want
to go, but I guess I have to,’ Max said reluctantly, her head cradled on Billy’s bronzed chest.

‘How’s that?’ Billy said, gently brushing a lock of hair off her face. ‘There’s nobody waiting up for you – right?’

WRONG! Ace will definitely be waiting up for me, and what am I supposed to say to him?

‘Uh . . . no,’ she lied. ‘Only I shouldn’t think my mom would be thrilled if she heard about me staying out all night.’

‘You’re eighteen now,’ he pointed out. ‘She’s got no say any more, you can do anything you want.’

‘Yeah,’ Max said unsurely. ‘But uh . . . being with you is definitely going to create waves . . .’

‘More like a tsunami,’ Billy said, laughing.

‘It’s no joke,’ she admonished, sitting up. ‘You were
married
to my mom’s best friend.’

‘Shit!’ he quipped. ‘How did
that
happen?’

‘It’s not funny,’ Max said. ‘Actually, it’s kind of creepy.’

‘Are you callin’ me creepy?’ Billy said, mock serious.

‘Not
you
,’ she said quickly. ‘The situation. I mean I can’t tell them we’re seeing each other – you’re not even divorced yet.’

‘Almost.’

‘Doesn’t cut it.’

‘You’re a tough little piece of work.’

‘
I’m
a piece of work?’ she said indignantly. ‘
You’re
the movie star.’

‘How does that make
me
a piece of work?’

‘’Cause that’s how movie stars roll. They’re catered to by everyone, and it stops them from acting like a normal person. Believe me, I saw it all when my mom owned Panther Studios.’

‘So now you’re tellin’ me I’m not normal?’ he said, amused.

‘You’re Billy Melina. How could you be?’

He laughed again and grabbed her leg. ‘
You’re
not normal,’ he said. ‘You’re too freakin’ pretty an’ sexy an’ hot to even
think
about bein’ normal.’

‘You calling me sexy?’ she asked, secretly thrilled.

‘Yeah, Green Eyes, I’m callin’ you sexy. So forget about runnin’ out on me, an’ let’s see what tricks I can teach you next.’

‘Don’t bother, I got tricks of my own that’ll blow you away,’ she said confidently. ‘You might’ve taken my virginity, but I’m not exactly Miss Innocent, so there, Mister Movie Star.’

‘Feisty. I like it.’

‘Do you?’ she sighed, wondering if this was what falling in love felt like.

‘You bet your ass, little Miss Green Eyes,’ Billy replied enthusiastically. ‘I like you a whole damn lot. So we’re gonna have to figure out a plan, ’cause I’m not givin’ up on you. Okay?’

‘Okay,’ she said. And her heart skipped a beat, because maybe, just maybe, this could be the real deal.

Chapter Fifty-Seven

L
oud music was emanating from the villa at The Cavendish. Too loud for comfort.

‘Sounds like a party,’ Randy said, standing outside the door, not at all disappointed. One thing about Randy, he was always up for a party.

‘No party,’ Mike growled, narrow eyes behind dark shades checking out his surroundings. ‘We’re here for business. Got it?’

‘I got it,’ Randy said. It was never a wise idea to argue with Mikey. The last time he and Mikey had gotten into a physical altercation, he’d ended up losing two teeth – a painful memory.

Even though Randy was younger, bigger and stronger, Mikey had moves that came out of nowhere, moves that could flatten a man in less than five seconds, which was why Randy refused to fuck with him. Mikey was The Man.

Randy hammered on the door and it fell open.

Automatically Mikey reached for his piece. One thing about Mikey, he was always cautious, always alert.

Gingerly Randy stepped inside the room, Mikey right behind him.

The scene that greeted them was quite something. Seducta was sprawled naked and out for the count on the couch. Armand sat next to her in a shirt and tie, no pants, his legs akimbo. Luscious was positioned on her knees in front of him, her mouth and slightly buck teeth enveloping his engorged manhood, her head bobbing up and down.

Loud rap blared on the sound system. Mounds of coke were piled on the coffee table, while empty bottles of champagne, along with miniatures of Scotch and vodka, littered the floor.

‘This is some shit-hole,’ Mikey stated grimly, still fingering his piece. ‘Someone turn the fuckin’ noise off.’

Luscious stopped what she was doing, turned off the music and jumped to her feet. She hadn’t expected Randy to bring Mikey; with Mikey involved it meant less money for them. She was pissed. Why share when they didn’t have to?

Blurry-eyed, Armand took in the new arrivals. Had he invited them? Who were they?

He shook his head, tried to think straight and stood up.

‘For crissake, put your junk away,’ Mikey snarled.